This invention relates to boats and to trailers for transporting the boats. More specifically, this invention relates to an automatic boat-to-trailer connection apparatus for attaching and holding a trailered boat to the receiving trailer.
The use of trailers for transporting, launching, or retrieving boats is widely used by the boating public. Most commercially available boat trailers utilize a combination of a winch and tow rope for retrieving boats from the water onto a boat trailer. The major disadvantage and problem with the use of a winch and tow rope is that at least two people are required to effectively retrieve and load the boat. One person is normally needed to connect the tow line to the boat and operate the winch. The other person is required to navigate and maintain the boat in alignment with the boat trailer.
There are two major problems associated with this prior art technique. Situations frequently arise where there is a strong cross or transverse wind and/or rough or turbulent waters. In these cases, the alignment of the boat with the trailer, as well as the attachment of the tow line to the boat, becomes extremely difficult and precarious. Second, the operation or winding of the winch can be dangerous; the winch may malfunction and/or the tow line may break or part, staging a dangerous scenario for the winch operator.
There are a number of prior art patents relating to trailer-latching devices, but they all have one or more significant disadvantages as compared to the present invention.
The present invention provides a boat trailer latching device which is simple in mechanical construction and operation, and which requires the use of only one person, even when the retrieval of the boat is attempted under adverse conditions of wind and/or water conditions.
The invention provides an apparatus for automatically securing a boat equipped with a standard eyebolt at the bow thereof to a boat-transporter type trailer positioned partially in the water, and having the forward end thereof out of the water. The invention comprises an elongated frame member having a pair of spaced apart portions joined at upper and lower ends thereof, as well as a central portion. The frame member is connectable to the bow of the boat by a removable means, such as a bolt connected to the central portion and through the eyebolt. The frame member further includes a pair of Y-shaped members attached respectively to the two ends of the frame member, and extending to be engageable with the bow of the boat. The frame member further comprises a bracket connected to and extending longitudinally from the lower end and including at an end thereof a transversely-extending rod receiving socket. A second bracket is connected to and extending longitudinally from the upper end of the frame member, and includes at an end thereof a transversely oriented rod journal means. The apparatus further comprises an elongated rod member slidably positioned in the rod journal means and having upper and lower ends with a handle means on the upper end, and a locking means element on the lower end. The rod member is positioned in the rod journal means for longitudinal movement so as to be positioned either in a down position whereat the locking means element is engaged with the rod receiving socket, or in an up position whereat the locking means element is engaged with the rod journal means.
A rod receiver member is connectable to the forward end of the trailer and includes a base portion and a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending brackets defining therebetween a rod receiving pocket and having end portions flared in opposite senses, so as to define a relatively wide rod receiving yoke. A latch member is pivotally mounted on one of the flared end portions. The latch member may be rotatably displaced by contact therewith by said rod member to permit the rod member to enter into the pocket following which the latch is spring biased back to the first position, thereby capturing the rod member in the pocket and thus attaching the boat to the trailer.